"NO POPE" PROTEST
Around 1,000 protesters marched against Church teachings on sexual morality. Some chanted: "Pope is wrong, put a condom on," and threw condoms into the air as young pilgrims marched across the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge to the vigil site.
On pilgrim was arrested for punching an anti-pope protester in the face.
The pope confronted sexual abuse in the Church in the United States during a visit there in April, meeting victims and vowing to keep paedophiles out of the priesthood.
But his words in Australia were stronger than those he used in the United States, where the biggest of the scandals broke in 2002 and where Boston Cardinal Bernard Law resigned in disgrace that year.
Bishops in the United States and elsewhere were discovered to have moved clergy who had sexually abused minors from parish to parish instead of defrocking them or handing them to authorities.
In the United States alone, dioceses have paid more than $2 billion (1 billion pounds) to settle suits with victims, forcing some dioceses to sell off properties and declare bankruptcy.
The Catholic Church in Australia has paid millions of dollars in compensation, but has capped individual payments to tens of thousands of dollars, with many payments undisclosed due to confidentiality settlements. Victims say they are inadequate.
After praying with the pope at the vigil the crowd of young people prepared to spend the chilly night outdoors ahead of the culminating event of the celebrations - a Mass on Sunday.
The 81-year-old pope, who appears to be holding up well despite the long trip, leaves for Rome on Monday.
